


Luctuosus

by hells_intern



Series: Quick Writes [2]
Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Apocalypse, Gen, Parental Instinct, Post-Apocalypse, Sad times, Short Story, scissors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-07-10 11:03:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6981709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hells_intern/pseuds/hells_intern
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the apocalypse, there's no way some would help another. There's no way anyone kind could still be alive... Right?</p><p>Based on a dream</p>
            </blockquote>





	Luctuosus

It was silent throughout the sandy desert, as usual. The wind blew softly around the ruins of a once great city. A head poked out from the top of a fallen skyscraper.

Brown eyes, so dark they were practically black, scanned the wasteland. For a brief second, the child wondered what the land would have looked so long ago. But the curiosity was quickly overwhelmed by her depressing emotions, the reason why she was in the abandoned building in the first place.

She slowly sank down against the cold wall, trying to not to cry. It didn't work. Soon, sobs were raking through her small body. The girl couldn't have been older than 7. Her velvet dress was torn in several places and covered in dust, as though she had been running from something. Perhaps she was before we came to here.

Desperately, she wiped at her tears and tried to silence her sobs. No matter how sad she felt, she still knew it wasn't wise to make too much noise. Noise meant attention, something you didn't want in the apocalypse. 

Sometimes the most cruelest things to humanity was humanity itself.

Suddenly the rusty elevator on the other side began to creak open, startling the child. She quickly hid behind an large, old fan nearby, her bare feet making no sound as she ran. Fearful for her life, she placed a hand over her mouth to quiet her breathlessness. Shivers coursed through her body as she waited for death.

A pained groan sounded from afar, followed by the sound of metal creaking. Her best guess was that the door got stuck halfway. She held her breath as the sound of footsteps grew closer. Confusion bloomed as whoever was on the roof with her began to sing under their breath. Curious, she glanced around the fan.

With her, was a tall, lanky man with a mop of brown hair hidden under a chimney sweep's cap aimlessly twirling around. By his side was a belt holding a hatchet and a bag. His brown eyes surveyed the area around him, before falling upon... her. The girl felt frozen as he began walking towards her spot. That was, until the reality of the situation fell upon her.

She leaped onto her calloused feet and sprint off to find somewhere safe. She heard the man call after her, but she didn't acknowledge him. If anything, she ran faster. Sadly, she didn't get far before tripping on her own two feet. The girl slid slightly when she landed, skinning her palms and forearms. The man caught up with her.

"Please, don't hurt me!" she begged, throwing her bleeding hands in front of her face. Strands of black hair fell into her face, giving her already desperate expression similar to a cornered animals. Chest heaving, she waited for the man in the ragged clothing to kill her.

But he surprised her.

Instead of landing a killing blow with his hatchet, he knelt in front of her, concerned. 

"Are you all right, kid?" He spoke softly and with an accent. Irish?

She shook her head, and his hand went to his belt. She flinched as he removed the hatchet. Thankfully, he gently set it down beside and also removed the bag. He shuffled through it, looking for something...

"Aha!" 

In his hand was a roll of bandages. A second search also led to the discovery of a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton pads.

The stranger gently cleaned her cuts, stopping every so often when the girl hissed in pain. He wrapped her hands in bandages and used his hatchet to cut the strips. A blissful silence passed as she gently rubbed her now bandaged hands.

He was the first to break it.

"So... what's your name?"

She hesitated for a second before realizing this man meant her no harm.

"Viola."

"Well Viola, my name's Henry!"

He noticed the drying tears on her face and frowned.

"Come on, don't be sad," Henry said gently, walking towards the edge of the roof. "Just look at how beautiful today is! I mean, the sun is shining for you, after all!" He exclaimed happily. Viola was more worried with the fact that Henry was dangerously teetering back and forth on the thin wall.

She edged towards him, worried.

"Are... Are you sure it's a good idea to be standing on the edge like that?"

He smiled at her. And slipped.

Horror coursed through Viola's body as the kind man began to fell. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. She grabbed his hand and tugged.

Henry fell onto the roof, turning mid fall to land on his back. He stared at the sky, in shock. Viola quickly went to his side.

"Are you okay?! Do need anything-"

He cut her off with a reassuring shoulder pat.

"Don't worry, kid, I'm going to be fine."

Viola was so caught up in Henry's safety, she didn't realized she was crying again. Henry sat up, frowning before holding out his arms.

"Would a hug make up for it?"

Wordlessly, the young girl hugged him, nearly knocking him over. He comfortingly rubbed her back.

"... Wanna talk about it?"

She nodded, sniffing. Even though she didn't know Henry that well, she felt like she could tell him anything.

"It's my birthday today."

"Why would that make anyone sad? It's a time for celebration-"

"My mom died two days before my birthday."

Henry tensed, but Viola didn't know why.

"S-she was on a train. Mom wa-was going to go see my grandparents and give them some medicine." During the beginning of the apocalypse, supplies began to grow scarce, medicine being a major one. People were willing to do anything for supplies.

Viola's words were cut off every so often by sobs.

"Th-that train was hijacked by s-some stupid gang. They were originally going to just try t-to hold the train hostage... But then th-they say Mom's medicine an-and-and they-" 

She cut off, tears interrupting her. Henry went back to comforting her like she was his child.

"I know how you fell," he said, empathy in his voice.

She sniffed.

"... You do?"

"Mhm. Y'know, my wife died the very afternoon of our anniversary. Got hit by a car walkin' home."

A silence passed before Henry got up, gently removing Viola from his tattered coat. He grinned at her.

"I know what'll cheer you up!"

He hurried over to the forgotten bag and began to rummage through it. With a cry of triumph, he pulled out... a pair of scissors? Viola watched in confusion as Henry took a couple of steps back.

With a deep breath, he raised the scissors into the air- and stabbed it as hard as he could into his chest. Blood began to pour out as he stumbled back towards Viola. He held out his arms dramatically.

"Ta-da!" Even thought he sounded fine, proud even, Viola heard a slight strain in his voice.

She immediately ran to him, bandages in hand. Frantically, she tried to help him but he stopped her, smiling painfully.

"Most people laugh when I do that," he murmured under his breath before smiling again.

"If you want to bandaged me up, I should probably get this out-" he took a step towards her to take the bandages but for the second time that day, Henry fell.

He fell directly onto the wound, causing the scissors to be pushed deeper into his chest. He almost screamed in pain. Viola watched in horror as his body went limp. Everything was quiet.

She slowly made her way towards Henry, trying not to cry. She felt his pulse and was relieved to discover he wasn't dead yet. But how would she save him?

Then she remembered. Determined, she lifted Henry's arm over her shoulder and began to drag him towards the old elevator. She needed to go see her brother.


End file.
